Fluid control device



P 1933- E. R. WILLIAMS 1,928,146

FLUID CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 24. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /0 K v E I] 2/ g 20 I f 9? 2 gwmnto a [*7/00 E. HOW/6m.)

dbtomuq p 1933- E. R. WILLIAMS FLUID CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 26,

UNITED *STAT ESI I National Tank Company, Tulsa, poration otDkIahoma Application Februa'ry24, 1 913 7 Okla., a .cor-- :Serial No. 515,784

This invention relates to new andzusefuliimprovements in fluid control devices' 7 One object of the invention is to provide means for'assisting in closing the'fluid'valveand also inreturning the diaphragm, which maybe used instead of the usual counterweights.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a float device and a coupling for connection with the diaphragm control shaft; whereby the'float acts as a weight in restoring the diaphragmand closing the liquid valve, but functions as a" float to aid in closing the fluid valve. upon the accumulation of an excess of liquid; 1-

Another'objectof theinvention is to provide a; float so arranged as to become operative after the liquid valve has opened and act to further open theliquid valve; 1 v A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together wlth'other features of the invention.

"The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specific'ationand by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which an example of the'invention is shown, and whereinz- 'Figure 1' is a partial elevation of a container equipped with a device constructed'in accordance with the invention,

of the lower portion of thecontainer Figure 3 is a detail of the fioatand coupling,

Figure 4' is a sideelevation of the same, 7

Figure 5 is afront elevation of the coupling, and r I Figure 6 isan elevationtof a-modifie'd form of the invention. Q v v In the drawings the numeral 10 designates an upright tank having a false bottom 12. A gas discharge pipe- 11 extends upwardlyin the tank and a lateral pipe 13 extends through the side of the tank well above the bottom and is connected into one side of a gas valve casing 14 from the other side of which a gas pipe 15 extends. The gas valve is of the ,usual'construction common in this art and forms no particular part of the invention. It is shown as a double valve having therein a bonnet 16 carrying the valve seats for the valves 17, whichare suspended in' the usual mannerfrom thecrank 18, as is shown in Figure 2. p i

The crank is fastened on a rock shaft 19 extending through a packing box 20, as isshown in Figure 2. On the outer end of the shaft is fastened a collar 21 which has a lever 22 adjustably Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view secured therein. A link 23 has its upper end pivoted to the outer end of the lever 22. H

oil discharge pipe24 leads from the false bottom l2 through the side of the tank. The outer end of the pipe 24 is fastened into the casing 26 of an oil outlet valve similar to the valve 14. The casing 26 has abonnet 27 connected with the pipe 24 and carrying the valve seats for receiving the valves 28. A discharge pipe 29 leads from the bonnet of the casing. The valves are suspended from the end of a crank 30 fastened on the end of a rock shaft 31 within the casing. The shaft 31 extends through a stuffing box 32 and has a collar 33 fastened on its outer end in theusual manner. The collar 33 receives a lever 34 which with the lever 22 is connected with the operating means to be hereinafter described.

It will be seen that so long as the valves 28 are closed no oil can escape. from the tank and a predetermined oil level may be carried. The gas valves 1'7 are shown in Figure ,2 as partially opened. This permits a limited escape of gas from the pipes 11 and 13. It is obvious that if the gas ,valves were setto carry a pressure of twentyfive pounds in the separator, an excessive gas pressure in the tank-could not be relieved unless ,thevalves were further opened, and also that if the gas valves are entirely closed; any desired-gas pressure (within safe limits) may be builtup in the tank. By arranging the oilvalves 28 to: open in' advanced any change in the position of the gas valves an excess of oil in the tank may be discharged without disturbing thev adjustment of the ;gas valves or altering the: gas pressure. Should the oil rise to an excessive height the gas valve would be further. closed to buildup more gas pressure to expel the oil. i It willbe noted by observingFigures land 2, that when the lever 22 is rockedin a countenclockwise direction the gas valves l'l: will i be opened and when the lever 34 islikewise rocked the oil valves 28will be. closed, the said'levers extending in opposite directions. Within the tank I mount a cylindrical-shield 35 on legs 36 secured to'the bottom 12 at the center of the tank. The shield has an outwardly directed flange 37 at its top. A circular diaphragm 38 is clamped on the flange? 37 by the annular flange 39 of a dome 40; The flanges are suitably secured together.

A clamp 41 is secured to the center of the diaphragmgand a depending link- 42 has its upper end pivoted thereto; Thelower endof the link is pivoted to a crank 43 fastened on avrock shaft 44. The shaft has itsv inner end journaled in an ear:45 hanging from the shield. The shaftex- V upper portion of the tank.

loop 51 on the lower end ofthe link 23.

Whenliquid supplied to the tank rises to a level above the lower end of the shield 35, air will be trapped in the shield below the diaphragm. As the liquid level thetank and its weight is thus increased, the trapped air will be 'compressed and the weight of the liquid thus becomes a force for operating the diaphragm. The gas pressure from the upper part of the tank will be. exerted by the gas supplied by the pipe 47 upon the upper side of the diaphragm, thus the gas pressure above the liquid and on the upper side vof the diaphragm is equalized..

On the outer end of the rock shaft 44 is secured a collar 48 in which a lever 49 is adjustably secured. One end of the lever 49 is connected to the outer end of the lever34 by a pivotedlink 50. The opposite end of the lever 49 engages in a By this arrangement the lever 49-may be swung a'limited distance and thus operate the liquid discharge valves 28 without effecting the gas or fluid.

valves 17. This device is similar to that set forth in my copending application filed January 26, 1931, Serial No. 511,304, except that the-counter weights are used and of course no claim is made herein to the elements claimed in said application. The important feature of the present invention is means for actuating the rock shaft independently of the diaphragm.

The hub 52 of the arm 53 of a ball float 54 is journaled on the shaft 44 between a collar 55 and a collar- 56 (Figures 3, 4 and 5). The float being on the outer end of the arm swings the latteras the liquid rises and falls. Radial lugs 57 extend upwardly from the hub.

A radial shank or post 58 extends upwardly from the collar 56 and has a laterally direct'ed finger 59 atits upper end extending between-the lugs 5'1 and in the path thereof. Thecollar 56 isjastened on the shaft by a set screw-601 It will be" seen that so'longasthe lugs 5'7 do not engage 'a'nd move the finger 59, the swing of the arm 53 will not actuate the shaft 44'. Consequentlytheliquidlevel in the tank may vary to alimlted extent without causing'the float to actuate the shaft When the liquid in thetank exceeds a predetermined level the"inoreased weight will'cause an upward movement of the diaphragm, whereby the shaft 44 will be rocked and the liquid valvesk28 will beope'ned. As the liquid recedes or lowers the float 54 will fall, thusswinging the arm 53 downward. Until the finger 59"is engaged by-the upper lug 57, norotation of the shartwould be caused by the float.

Itis apparent that when the liquid reaches a low level and the upperlug 57 engagesthe finget 59, said: float and its arm become a weight and continued downward swing reverses the rocking of the shaft 44'; so that the valves 28 are closed and the diaphragm is pulled down to its normal position. The float acting as a weight assures a positive closing of the liquid valves. Should'the liquid On the-cther hand, riseabove its normal high level the float will rise and its upper lug 57:will-engagethe finger 59, thereby rocking the shaft 44 in a clockwise (Figures 1- and 3) direction and thus aid the'diaphragm 38 in closing the fluid valves 17 by means of the lever 49and llnk.23.

From'the foregoing it will be apparent that the collar 56 these levels may be varied. By use of the float and coupling, exterior counter weights are eliminated and its buoyancy is available to aid the diaphragm in closing the fluid valves. It is pointed out that the float 54 is preferably made of heavy material having only sufficient buoyancy to float and thereby it is caused to act more effectively as a weight.

In Figure 6 I have illustrated a modified form of the invention wherein the gas valve is not operated automatically or in conjunction with the diaphragm. In place of the lever 49 a short lever 49 is. secured in the collar 48, but has its outer end pivoted to the link 50 the same as the lever '49. The link 23 is omitted and in place thereof counterbalancing weights 23 are hung on the end of the lever 22.

Byithis arrangement the. oil valves 28 willbe opened and closed andoperated the same as in the other figures, butthe gas valves 17 (which are of the unbalanced type) will be operated only by the gas pressure and the weights 23'. The weights will be such as to resist a certain pressure, but-to permit an excessive gas pressure to open the valves I'lin a manner as is now common practice with separators- Under. some conditions this form of the invention will prove very satisfactory.

Various changes in the size and shape of the different parts, aswell as modifications and alterations, may bemade within/the scope of the appended claims.

Having illustrated and described preferred forms of the invention, what I claim, is:

I 1. The combination with a container and gaseous fluid andliquid outlet valves thereof,'of a diaphragm in said container actuated by the rise and fall of the liquid in said container, an operator connected with the diaphragm and said valves, and bouyant means in the container having connection withuthe operatoiy whereby it 2. The combination with a container and the 1 liquid and gas, valves thereof, of a diaphragm in said container actuated bythe rise and fall of the liquid therein, an operator connected with the diaphragm and said valves and including a rock shaft, a hub rotatable on said shaft and having spaced projections, a support fastened on the shaft and having an element extending between the hub projections, and a float attached to the hub for swinging'said hub to rotate the shaft at predetermined liquid levelsin conjunction with the diaphragm and for swinging with I hub for swinging said hub to rotate the shaft at predetermined liquid levels in conjunction with the diaphragm and for swinging without rotating the shaft at intermediate liquid levels.

the diaphragm and the liquid outlet valve, andv buoyant means in the container having connection with the operator, whereby it imparts movement in conjunction with the diaphragm to the operator at predetermined liquid levels and swings independently of the operator at intermediate levelsof the liquid, the said buoyant means having suflicient weight to restore the diaphragm when the liquid level recedes and said means swings downwardly below its area of 7 independent swinging. I

ElmdER R. WILLIAMS. 

